Emerald

by Rebekah Thompson

  Nodding, I allow Dominic to lead me out of my room, down the hall, and into the living room. A red-haired woman stands with her back to me, showing a leather vest with the Black Hawk logo and the words PROPERTY OF SNIPER above it. She’s average height for a woman, a few inches taller than my five-foot-three, with a tattoo peeking out from under the sleeve of her shirt and one out from under the hem of her shorts.

  “Sniper, you didn’t tell me you have an Old Lady,” I say, making my presence known. Sniper’s head pops up, sending an apologetic expression my way. I raise an eyebrow. The woman turns with an enormous smile on her face. She’s gorgeous, her red hair accenting her freckles and brown eyes.

  “You must be Emerald,” she says, “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  I glance at Sniper, narrowing my eyes. “Well, your husband is falling down on his job. I’ve heard nothing about you,” I tease, shooting another fake glare at Sniper. She plays along, glaring at Sniper and smacking his arm.

  “I’m Ruby, and this is our son, Zeke,” she says, pointing to my left. Looking in that direction, I see a cute little kid with brown hair. Zeke is playing with Rosaleigh, and Reece is glaring at him.

  “Reece, come here, little man,” I call, making him look up. He runs over to me, climbs into my lap, and crosses his arms over his chest.

  His bottom lip pops out as he continues to glare at Zeke. “Mommy, he’s playing with Rosa,” Reece grumbles, watching them. Rosaleigh giggles as Zeke makes funny faces. He’s adorable, around five or six, but he doesn’t seem to mind Rosaleigh’s age.

  “It’s okay, buddy. Zeke is a friend,” I tell Reece. He looks up at me, then back at his sister. His pout stays in place.

  Before I can say anything, Rosaleigh runs over to me. A big smile stretches across her face as she beams up at me. “Mommy! Meet Zeke!” Rosaleigh squeals, pulling Zeke along with her.

  Leaning down, I bring myself eye level with Zeke. “Hi, Zeke. I’m Emerald,” I say. He smiles at me then looks up at Dominic.

  “Uncle Hawk, she’s pretty,” he mumbles, a rosy tint painting his cheeks, making Dominic smile. Zeke is so sweet. I try not to make a big deal out of it because I don’t want to embarrass him.

  When Zeke says this, I notice Rosaleigh’s bottom lip quiver. “I’m not pretty?” She whimpers, almost to where I can’t hear her. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so sad. I think someone has a crush, which makes my heart squeeze because she’s only three. Is it possible for a three-year-old to have a crush?

  Zeke turns towards Rosaleigh and looks at her. “Rosa, you are the prettiest girl in all the world,” he whispers, leaning in close and hugging her. I look over at Ruby to see her hands over her mouth and her eyes wide, a mixture of excitement and awe on her face.

  Reece stares at his sister then runs out of the room. Sighing, I excuse myself and go after him. When I don’t find Reece in his room, I find him in mine, so I walk in to see him curled up on my bed. I think I know what’s going on.

  “Sweetie,” I hum, picking him up, pulling him in my lap, and brushing his hair back. My heart breaks when I see the tears rolling down Reece’s cheeks. “What’s wrong?” I ask.

  He sniffles, wiping at the tears from his cheek as he looks up at me.

  “Zeke’s taking her from me,” he grumbles. He curls into me more, leaning against me and glaring at no one.

  “Oh, Reece,” I breathe. “Zeke isn’t taking your sister from you. He just wants to be her friend,” I say. He looks up and studies me. I point at him and, for good measure, say, “You will always be her brother. No one can take that away.”

  He looks down at my finger on his little chest and then back up at me. I wipe the last tears off his cheeks and kiss his forehead. “She’s your twin, your sister, but you have to share her,” I tell him.

  “Okay, Mommy.” Reece nods, wrapping his arms around my neck for a hug.

  “Do you want me to go get Rosaleigh so you can talk to her?” I ask, but he shakes his head. He slides off my lap, and I stand up, letting him walk in front of me. Reece toddles out of the room. When we get back into the living room, Rosaleigh hugs Reece and whispers something to him, making him smile.

  “Come on, Zekey, let’s play with Reece,” she says, grabbing both of their hands and pulling them towards her and Reece’s room. I smile at the situation and turn back to everyone.

  “Well, that was cute,” Ruby says as I turn to face her. I nod and walk to the couch, sitting down. Dominic follows, but instead of sitting next to me, he lifts me up and sits me on his lap. With three people in the room with me, I feel a tiny amount of discomfort spin in my stomach, but when they continue conversation like nothing happened, I relax.

  I lean my back against Dominic’s chest, “So, how long have you two been together?” I ask, directing my question to Sniper and Ruby. Ruby looks at Sniper, who nods, making her smile.

  “We met in high school and it was the whole good girl, bad boy story. He helped me out of a nasty situation and claimed me as his Old Lady. Zeke came along and we’ve been together since then,” she tells me. Sniper takes her hand and kisses it.

  They’re very cute together. One of those couples that’s been together so long it doesn’t bother them to show affection. They interact so fluidly and effortlessly. I glance at Dominic out of the corner of my eye and wonder if I could have a relationship like that because I want a relationship with this man.

  “Seven years coming up soon,” Sniper muses.

  “That’s nice,” I tell them. “How did your family take the whole bad boy thing?”

  Ruby chuckles and looks down, “They hated it, but then again they’re not in the picture, so it doesn’t matter.” I nod. Not everyone has a good family, so I drop the subject. I don’t want her uncomfortable with me, and I don’t want to upset her.

  “Enough about me. What would your parents think about you being around our club?” She questions, making me freeze. I feel Dominic tense under me. I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. I sit there, opening and closing my mouth like a fish out of water before standing up and walking to my room.

  Closing my door behind me, I lean my back against it and slide to the floor. My parents. What would they think about this club, or Dominic?

  A knock at the door makes me stand up. I rest my palms on the door along with my forehead. “Yes?” I call, loud enough for the person on the other side to hear.

  “Let me in, Emerald,” Dominic demands. Slowly, I take a step back and pull the door open, revealing Dominic. He looks me over, his chocolate brown eyes settling on my green ones. I don’t cry, but he must have thought I would because he cautiously takes a step forward and caresses my cheek.

  “Are you okay?”

  Staying silent, I nod and lean into his touch. He sighs and wraps his arms around me, pulling me into his warm chest. The heat from his body soaks through my clothes and into my skin, calming me.

  “Yes, it just- she just surprised me. I don’t talk about my parents,” I whisper, burying my face in his chest. He nods, kissing my forehead, and tighten his arms around me.

  “I understand. Ruby is freaking out in the other room, and she thinks you’re upset with her,” he tells me. I look up at him to see if he’s kidding, but his eyes tell me he’s not lying. Now I feel bad. It wasn’t my intention to make Ruby feel bad.

  Taking a deep breath, I pull out of his arms. “Let’s go back in there,” I tell him, opening the door. I pull him along with me. Ruby did nothing wrong.

  As I enter the living room, Ruby jumps to her feet. “Emerald, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know,” she apologizes. I shake my head and sit back down on Dominic’s lap.

  “It’s okay. I just don’t talk about my parents much… not since my dad died,” I say, my voice soft at the end. A hand lies on my thigh and starts rubbing soothing circles on the side. I relax to his touch and just lay against his chest.

  “You can go. I’ll stay with her the rest of the night,” Dominic tells the guys. They both nod,
and Ruby disappears down the hall, probably to get Zeke. The guys stand near the door and a minute later, Ruby and Zeke come into the living room. He follows his mom with a pouty expression, and they all say bye, closing the door behind them as they leave.

  Turning my body, I lay my side against Dominic’s chest and nuzzle my nose in the crook of his neck. Dominic responds by putting his chin on the top of my head and pulling me closer. This is pleasant… familiar… safe. This feeling. I love this feeling. Then again, I love when his muscular arms are around me. No one can touch me when he’s here.

  “There’s a barbeque tomorrow at the clubhouse,” Dominic states, making me look up at him. “Do you want to go?” At this question, I glance in the direction of the kids. He seems to know what I’m thinking, because he turns me around to where I’m straddling his lap. “The kids can come too.”

  “What’s happening at the barbeque?” I ask and he runs a hand through his hair, something I notice he does often. When he’s nervous. When he’s thinking. My eyes follow the casual movement until he puts his hands back on my waist.

  “We’re hanging out. We’re a family, so we have at least one gathering a month. Plus, some Saints brothers will be there,” he tells me, putting his face in the crook of my neck. He breathes in my scent and looks up at me with deep, searching eyes.

  “I want to claim you.”

  My breathing practically stops as I process what he just said. Dominic wants to make me his Old Lady. Am I ready for that? I stare into his beautiful eyes and see the sincerity in them. He really does want me. I know I like him… a lot, but is it love? I feel calm and safe with him, he likes my kids, and he doesn’t let my background stop him from caring for me.

  “Forever?” My voice is barely audible. Dominic’s hands come up and cup my face gently.

  “Forever. Me, you, and those kids. I will always be here for you,” he promises, leaning forward. His lips touch mine in a brief, but passionate kiss. “I love you, Emerald.”

  With tear-filled eyes, I lean my forehead against his and close my eyes. “You don’t have to say anything yet,” he says, “I know it’s early.” I shake my head, looking up into his eyes.

  Without love, there’s really no reason to live. I love my kids. I love my parents. I love him. I love Dominic. I can’t explain it. There’s just something about him that draws me in. Makes me love him.

  Some people would say I’m foolish for falling in love with a man I’ve known for such a short amount of time. Being in love is just what I need. The only people I’ve ever loved were family.

  “I do,” I whisper.

  Dominic smiles, not able to contain it.

  “I love you,” I murmur, kissing him.

  Dominic stands quickly and wraps my legs around his waist. His hands slide under my butt as he starts walking. I pull away from the kiss and look towards the kid’s room. “The kids,” I breathe out. He glances in their direction and smirks, “They’ll be fine. I’m going to claim my woman.”

  A laugh bubbles up out of me, and he carries me to my room. Once we’re in the room, he tosses me on the bed and locks the door. He stalks to me like a predator to prey, and I watch him.

  Longing fills his eyes as I lay there. Dominic crawls onto the bed and hovers over me. “You’re my woman. No one else can have you,” he growls, lowering his body to mine. My breath leaves me as his lips descend onto my neck, sending little spurts of heat through my body.

  “You’re mine, Emerald,” he growls.

  “I haven’t actually… since… he’s the only one-”

  Dominic cuts me off by kissing me fiercely. “Don’t think about him. He’s gone, and you’re with me,” he whispers. I nod, and he kisses me again. He embraces me, showing me how being with a partner should be.

  Dominic is kind, gentle, and passionate. Our bodies meld together in a primordial dance, making me feel things I’ve never felt before, as he proves how much he loves me. He teaches me what it means to be his. He shows me how love should be.

  As we lay together, Dominic’s arms around me, I exhale in contentment. He shifts his body and kisses me softly. “You are so strong, Emerald,” he admits, kissing my forehead.

  Dominic kisses all over my face, then rests his forehead against mine. “You will never have to worry about that man’s touch again,” he vows. I nod and press my lips against his.

  This is what I want… who I want.

  “I love you, Dominic Knight.”

  Chapter 12

  Something soft touching my forehead pulls me from my sleep, and I open my eyes.

  “Good morning,” Dominic greets, kissing my lips this time. I smile up at Dominic.

  “How were the kids last night?” I ask, sitting up. After what happened last night, Dominic offered to put the kids to bed for me. I was falling asleep, so he volunteered, which I’m thankful for.

  “They were fine… asked where you were, but I told them you were exhausted and in bed,” he answers, sitting back against the headboard.

  Exhaling, I run a hand through my hair and peer at him, “I can’t believe we did that with them in the other room.”

  Thinking about last night makes me blush, and I look away. Fingers grasp my chin and lift it. “Don’t hide from me, love. You are beautiful and last night was amazing,” he grins, brushing his lips against mine. I smile but pull away from the kiss.

  “We should get ready. We have to be at the clubhouse in…” I look over at the clock and then back at Dominic. “Two hours, and we have to get the kids ready.”

  He sighs and climbs out of bed. “I’m taking a shower,” he tells me, then looks back, “Wanna join?” I smile up at him and hold out my hand. He takes my hand, pulls me to my feet, then scoops me up bridal style.

  After our, not so quick, shower, Dominic and I get dressed. He dresses in dark jeans and a dark blue shirt with his cut over it. I grab some black skinny jeans and a backless halter top with ruffles on the front. The top is a forest green color, so I pair it with some open toe booties that are the same color.

  Once I’m dressed, I go into the bathroom to do my hair. I pull it up into a low up-do, twisting it at the base of the back of my head and pinning it in place. I’m apply some light makeup when Dominic walks in. His eyes scan my body as he moves closer to me. “Beautiful,” he whispers, tracing my wings.

  I stop applying my makeup for a second and let him feel me. His warm fingers run along my back, and I shudder.

  Shaking my head, I go back to applying my makeup. I finish, and with one last look in the mirror, I turn to Dominic. Pecking his lips, I head out of the bathroom.

  “I’ll get the kids up,” I tell him, leaving the room. He says something, but I’m already out of earshot.

  “Mommy!” Reece yells when I walk in the room. He and Rosaleigh jump off their beds and run to me. They launch themselves at me, grabbing onto my legs. I stumble but don’t fall, thanks to Dominic being behind me. He smiles at me, and I look down at the kids.

  “Mommy, are you okay?” Reece asks, looking up at me. Crouching down, I run a hand over his messy hair.

  “Yeah, little man, why wouldn’t I be?” I ask, confused by his upset pout. He looks over at Dominic, then his eyes fall on me again.

  “He said you were too sleepy last night,” he answers, pointing to Dominic. Reece’s tone is accusing, like he thinks Dominic did something wrong.

  I nod my head and smile. “Yeah, I was, buddy, but I’m better now,” I confirm. I hope he didn’t really think anything was wrong. I look up at Dominic, who shrugs. Sighing, I stand back up and straighten out my top. “We have somewhere to go, so we need to get you two dressed,” I tell them.

  Dominic’s phone ringing is the next thing that sounds through the room. As the kids pick their outfits, Dominic talks to someone on the phone. My attention divides between Dominic and the kids, but when he leaves, I find my kids standing in their closet.

  Rosaleigh pulls out a cute light blue dress with small purple flowers on it. She
holds it out to me and smiles, “I wanna wear this one!” Nodding, I help her get out of her pajamas, then I pull the dress over her head and slip it onto her little body.

  When the dress is on, she twirls and hums. Next, I help Reece. He picked out a simple pair of jeans and a light blue t-shirt. I guess he wants to match his sister, so I help him get dressed. When he’s done, I grab a pair of shoes for each kid. I put boots on Reece’s small feet then slide some purple flats on Rosaleigh’s feet.

  “Let’s go find Dominic,” I tell them. They dash out of the room in search of the man I love. I laugh at their excitable actions and follow down the hallway and into the living room to find they’re jumping on Dominic’s lap as he sits on the couch. He smiles at me as I lean against the doorframe, letting them play.

  “Are you ready to go?” He asks, and I nod. I make my way to the couch, and he scoops the kids up, carrying them in his arms. He leans forward, pecking my lips, then sets the kids down. I grab my keys off the counter, and we all head outside.

  We make our way over to our bikes, and I bite my lip. I don’t have a way to get the kids to the club. “Oh, um. Can someone pick us up? The kids can’t ride bikes.”

  Dominic nods and pulls his phones out and texts someone. A second later, his phone beeps, and he looks up at me.

  “Wolf is sending a car,” he says.

  Tugging on Dominic’s shirt, Rosaleigh asks, “Can I sit on your motorcytle?” I bite my tongue to keep from laughing at her pronunciation. Dominic picks her up and sits her on the bike, keeping one hand in front and behind her. She giggles and squeals as she grips the handlebars.

  Dominic picks Reece up and sits him behind Rosaleigh, then takes his phone out and snaps a picture of the two. “I’ll send this to you,” he says.

  As my phone pings, a car pulls up. A blonde man waves through the window. “That’s Ink,” Dominic says, picking up and lowering the kids to the ground. We all climb into the car except for Dominic. He takes his bike.